Bristol Area Lions Dedicate Annual Meeting to Al Sears 06/22/2016

2014 photo of Al Sears with King Lion John Janell (L) and Lion Herb Watson (R). Both received milestone pins from Al (center) in his role of Parliamentarian.

The Bristol Area Lions Club met on Monday, June 20 at the Hawks House Inn in Walpole. This meeting included spouses, guests, a choice of special meals, and marks the end of the Lions’ fiscal year.

The gathering began with appetizers of chicken kabobs with a peanut sauce, teriyaki beef skewers and a veggie plate. The meeting opened with the Lion’s prayer and toast.

Only one of the club’s four $2,000 scholarship winners was able to attend, Cayleigh Hearth of Walpole. She was called upon to briefly explain why she chose her field of study. At Lincoln Academy she had especially enjoyed a psychology course and participating in musical productions. Hearth also participated in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and was interested in helping youth. She will be attending the University of New York with a split-major in psychology and music therapy.

Dinner followed: a choice of either a pan-seared tenderloin steak with béarnaise sauce, roasted tarragon potatoes and veggie medley; Steve’s seafood (lobster, scallops and shrimp) alfredo over fettuccine and a veggie medley; or the Hawk’s House “surf and turf” half order of seafood pasta and a petite tenderloin steak all with table service. Strawberry shortcake concluded the sumptuous meal.

After dinner the club’s parliamentarian Bill Byrnes paid homage to the memory of Lion Al Sears who died on June 13. Byrnes first met Sears when he joined the Bristol Area Lions club some 20 years ago, but grew to know him more in the past 20 weeks than all the preceding years as he helped prepare his house for sale. It was put under contract several weeks ago and is on the Pemaquid Loop Road.

“Sears moved to Pemaquid after a notable career in the Bell Telephone system and could often be seen walking the Pemaquid Loop Road. He never changed.

He was a very private person and was upset when several trees were cut giving him a clearer view of the lighthouse, but exposing his home. He never changed.

Sears suffered from C.O.P.D. and he was told he could no longer drive. He never changed. When the ambulance took him away, he was told he could never return to his home. He never changed.

While in Coves Edge Long Term Care facility he had a room-mate after living alone. He never changed.

When his room-mate died he remarked that he really liked him. He never changed.

There are gentlemen and then there was Al Sears, a gentle man.”

A box of books only seen by his family was found in his house. It was an autobiography Sears had written and had published in 1990 entitled “Passing in a Crowd.” The club members were given a copy of the book.

Donations to Al Sears’ memory may be made to the scholarship fund and sent to the Bristol Area Lions Foundation, P.O. Box 11, New Harbor, ME 04554.

The American Red Cross blood drive hosted by the club on June 21, collected 23 pints vs. a goal of 29. The Bristol Area Lions club thanks the donors for their time and gift of life to others. A pint has the potential to save three lives.